Nicki Minaj flew on Air Force One as press secretary speculation swirled

Nicki Minaj posted a video of herself walking through Air Force One on Sunday with the caption #AirForceOneBARBIE, which is not how most people announce a possible White House communications job.

Minaj traveled with President Trump and members of his administration to a Republican rally in Port Huron, Michigan, on Oct. 25. Trump brought her onstage while campaigning for Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers and introduced her as the “queen of rap.” Minaj told the crowd it was an honor to stand with Trump and said she would support him again if he ran again.

What she said: Minaj urged voters to elect Republican candidates, led a “we love Trump” chant and praised Trump as resilient. She also spoke against children being “bombarded with sex changes,” saying children should be left out of it. Before she took the stage, Trump made a remark about her appearance that quickly circulated online.

The press secretary part: White House communications director Steven Cheung posted a mock-interview clip with Minaj from the plane and wrote, “Ladies and gentlemen, I think we may have found the new White House Press Secretary.” The post fueled speculation. The job itself is open: Billboard reported that the role was vacated after Katie Zacharia was fired Oct. 16, five days into the position.

This has been building: Minaj has appeared repeatedly in Trump’s orbit this year. She served as a judge in the administration’s Million Dollar Pitch Competition, met with Trump in the Oval Office on Oct. 20 and posted, “Not going anywhere. Right where I need to be.” Billboard reported she first met Trump at a January Trump Accounts Summit, where she called herself his No. 1 fan. The Hill noted that Minaj said in 2020 that she would not “jump on the Donald Trump bandwagon,” and reported that her political role has divided fans.

The thing to watch now is whether Cheung’s mock interview stays a social media bit or becomes an actual White House job.